Back gluing mechanism in a book casing-in machine



June 2, 197 J. H. THORP 3,326,179

BACK GLUING MECHANISM IN A BOOK CASING-IN MACHINE Filed July 9, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTUR, 44/1455 f/ 7/ /ORP June 20, 1967 THQRP Y 3,326,179

BACK GLUING MECHANISM IN A BOOK CASING-IN MACHINE Filed July 9, 1964 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,326,179 BACK GLUING MECHANISM IN A BOOK CASINGJN MACHINE James H. Thorp, West Hartford, Conn., assignor to The Smyth Manufacturing Company, Bloomfield, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Filed July 9, 1964, Ser. No. 381,336 9 Claims. (Cl. 118241) The present invention relates to book casing-in machines of the type wherein book fillers are successively fed towards a casing-in station to be mated with a case, and deals more particularly with a mechanism for gluing the backs of such fillers. The general type of machine referred to is more completely shown and described in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 157,109, entitled Apparatus for Use With a Casing-In Machine, filed Dec. 5, 1961, together with a prior back gluing mechanism.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved back gluing mechanism for a casing-in machine wherein the fillers are glued more rapidly than has heretofore been possible.

Another object of the invention is to provide a back gluing mechanism for a casing-in machine wherein a driven roller is used to apply a film of glue to the upward ly facing back of an advancing filler, which roller is continuously wiped free of excess glue and continuously provided with a film of fresh glue as it rotates.

Another object of the invention is to provide a back gluing mechanism for a high speed casing-in machine wherein the roller for applying glue to the back of a filler is driven at a peripheral speed close to the lineal speed of the advancing filler, the quantity of glue on said roller being kept low enough to prevent slinging of the glue therefrom during high speed operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a back gluing mechanism for a high speed casing-in machine wherein the roller for applying glue to the back of a filler is continuously held in contact with its source of glue as it moves toward and away from said filler back so that the portion of its periphery between said source of glue and the area of contact between the roller and the filler to be glued is continuously coated with a film of fresh glue.

The drawings show a preferred embodiment of the invention and such embodiment will be described, but it will be understood that various changes may be made from the construction disclosed, and that the drawings and description are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a back gluing mechanism of the present invention on a book casing-in machine capable of feeding fillers horizontally therebeneath with their backs facing upwardly.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the FIG. 1 mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the FIG. 1 mechanism taken generally along the line 33 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, FIG. 1 shows a back gluing mechanism installed on a casing-in machine 12 of the type shown in the aforementioned copending application wherein book fillers 14-, 14 to be glued are fed into the machine and carried below the back gluing mechanism 10 by suitable means, indicated generally by members 16, 16 toward a casing-in station (not shown). The glue mechanism 10 may be operated in timed relationship with the casing-in machine by a push rod 18 which is operatively connected to a cam shaft (not shown) and by a chain 78 driven by an appropriate drive sprocket in the machine.

While the casing-in machine of the above identified application is of the intermittent feed type, it will be obvious that the present gluing mechanism can be readily employed in a continuous feed machine. In the machine shown, the fillers 14, 14 are advanced toward the right by the pusher members '16, 16 which are longitudinally reciprocable and movable transversely into and out of position for engaging fillers in a well known manner.

In accordance with the present invention, the gluing mechanism 10 is adapted to apply .glue to predetermined zones on the backs of the fillers as the latter pass therebeneath. The back gluing mechanism comprises a generally rectangular glue reservoir 20 supported in the fixed framework of the machine, a glue pick-up roller 22 rotatably supported about a fixed horizontal axis, and a carriage 24 pivotally supported about the same axis for moving a glue applying roller 26 generally vertically toward and away from the back of a filler to be glued. Means provided for so moving the carriage 24 and the associated roller 26 through a relatively small arc is shown as including the aforementioned push rod 18 connected at its upper end to an arm 28. The arm 28 is adapted to oscillate a transverse rock shaft 30 carrying two slotted arms 32, 32 engaged by two pins 34, 34 provided on the carriage 24. It will be apparent that the push rod 18 can be operated so that the roller 26 engages a filler to be glued shortly after the leading edge thereof has passed therebeneath, and further the roller can be raised before the trailing end of the filler reaches the same.

In FIG. 2, the reservoir 20 is shown attached to a stationary support rod 36 by a pair of clamp members 38, 38 attached to the rod 36 and to the sides of the reservoir. The portion of the reservoir to the right-hand side of the rod 36 is necked down slightly in both elevation and plan form, and at the extreme end of this necked down portion the end wall 40 defines an opening 41 for receiving the glue pick-up roller 22. A suitable notch 43 in a top wall 42 of the glue reservoir 20 also receives the roller 22.

Still with reference to FIG. 2, the pick-up roller 22 is preferably attached to a transverse shaft 44 rotatably received at opposite end portions in two bearings defined in longitudinally extending arms 46, 46. The arms 46, 46 are fixed to the reservoir 20 so that the roller 22 always rotates in the same relationship to the end wall 40. When so arranged, the end wall 40 may include suitable scrapers or the like for selecting the width and the thickness of the film of glue picked up by the roller 22. In this manner, the width and thickness of the film of glue transferred to the glue applying roller can be adjusted for efficient gluing of fillers of various sizes.

In order to facilitate the removal of the pick-up roller 22 and its associated shaft 44 for cleaning or the like, a top half 48 of each bearing supporting the shaft 44 is removable by loosening a screw 50 and sliding back a slotted block 52. The top half 48 of each hearing is pivotally retained at its right hand end on a fork shaped support 54 defined at the right hand end of each of the shaft supporting arms 46, 46.

The carriage 24 is pivotally supported on the shaft 44, or more accurately on a pair of flanged collars 56, 56 which position the shaft and roller transversely with respect to the reservoir 20 and which support two carriage plate assemblies 58, 58 as best shown in FIG. 2. Preferably and as shown, each plate assembly 58 comprises an upper member 60 which defines a U-shaped slot or opening for receiving the flanged collar 56, and a lower member 62 which is adjustably bolted to the upper member for a purpose to be discussed.

The lower members 62, 62 are transversely aligned with each other in the carriage 24 and each such member Patented June 20, 1967 defines one-half of a bearing for rotatably receiving a transverse shaft 64 to which the glue applying roller 26 is afiixed. In order to facilitate the removal of this roller 26 and its associated shaft 64 for cleaning or the like a top half 66 of each supporting bearing is removable by loosening a screw 68 and sliding a slotted block 70 upwardly. The top half 66 of each shaft supporting bearing is pivotally retained at its lower right hand end on a fork shaped support 72 defined on the right hand end of each lower member 62.

As mentioned hereinabove, the carriage 24 is adapted to be moved through a relatively small arc by the motion of the two slotted arms 32, 32. The two pins 34, 34 which are engaged by these arms are attached to upwardly extending portions 74, '74 on the lower members 62, 62 and a transverse bar 76 rigidly connects these upper portions 74, 74 to provide a sturdy carriage for raising and lowering the glue applying roller 26.

Means is provided for rotating each of said rollers 22 and 26 in the same direction and at substantially the same peripheral speed. As shown, said means comprises a chain 78 drivingly connected to a source of power in the machine 12 as mentioned. An idler sprocket 80 is preferably provided to adjust the tension in the chain and a sprocket 82 is provided in the machines framework to selectively drive a transverse drive shaft 84. The shaft 84 carries a gear 86 which is connected to a gear 88 on the pick-up roller shaft 44 to drive the pick-up roller 22 in the counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow 89 in FIG. 3. The glue applying roller 26 is driven in the same direction and at the same speed by a gear 90 on its shaft 64 which has the same pitch diameter and number of teeth as the gear 88. An intermediate gear 92 serves to connect the gears 88 and 90 and it will be apparent that adjustments in the rotative speeds of the rollers 22 and 26 can be achieved by providing sets of gears of various diameters in place of those shown.

It is an important feature of the back gluing mechanism that the pick-up roller 22 and the glue applying roller 26 wipe the glue from each others circumferential or peripheral surface as they rotate in the manner described. Accordingly, and as above, the carriage end plate assemblies 58, 58 permit the axis of rotation of the roller 26 to be adjusted relative to that of the roller 22. As best shown in FIG. 3, each of the lower members 62 is provided with elongated openings 94, 94 for receiving a series of screws 96, 96. Each of the upper members 60 defines threaded openings which are alignable with the openings 94, 94 for receiving the screws 96, 96. Thus, the area of contact or engagement between the rollers can be preset to optimize the wiping action of the rollers upon each other. The pick-up roller 22 has a convex contour to mate with the concave periphery of the glue applying roller 26. The shape of the latter, however, is dictated by the shape of the filler to be glued and it will be apparent that other configurations may be employed necessitating a glue applying roller of different contour. In such event, it will be apparent that the peripheral contour of the pick-up roller may be varied from the shape shown without departing from the scope of the present invention.

It should be noted that the glue applying roller 26 is preferably made from a resilient yieldable material, such as rubber, so that it will follow the contour of the back of the filler being glued. Thus, the area of contact between the pick-up roller 22 and the resilient roller 26 can be increased or decreased depending on the aforesaid adjustments made in the end plate assemblies 58, 58. The roller 26 is preferably so located with respect to the roller 22 that no glue passes between them but instead the film of glue from the pick-up roller is transferred to the glue applying roller at the area of engagement therebetween as indicated by the small arrows 93, 93. For the same reason, any glue left on the glue applying roller 26 will travel around the roller 26 to the opposite or upper side of the area of engagement between the rollers and the glue will be transferred onto the upper portion of the roller 22 so as to be carried back to the glue reservoir. Refer here to small arrows 95, 95. Thus, the glue applying roller is continuously wiped free of excess glue and continuously provided with a film of fresh glue as it rotates. In this manner the quantity of glue on the glue applying roller can be kept small enough to prevent slinging of the glue when the machine is operated at high speeds. Since the peripheral speed of a glue applying roller must be kept close to the lineal speed of the filler being glued, it is particularly important in a high speed machine that no excess glue be allowed to remain on the glue applying roller.

Finally, the amount or degree of movement of the roller 26 is important in providing for efficient high speed operation. In the mechanism shown, the vertical travel of the roller 26 may be on the order of a fraction of an inch, thus substantially eliminating all possibility of glue slinging even at the high operating speeds now contemplated for future casing-in machines and the like.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a casing-in machine or the like having mechanism for feeding fillers with their backs facing upwardly toward a casing-in station whereat cases are mated with the fillers, the improvement comprising means defining a glue reservoir above the longitudinal path of movement of said fillers and fixed in the frame of the machine, a glue pick-up roller supported for rotation about a fixed horizontal axis adjacent one end wall of said glue reservoir so that a portion of the circumferential surface of said roller moves through the glue in said reservoir and thence outwardly through an opening defined in said end wall, means for rotating said pick-up roller so that said pick-up roller is continuously rotated, a carriage pivotally supported for limited vertical movement about an axis coincident with said fixed axis of rotation of said pick-up roller, a glue applying roller supported about an axis in said carriage so that the circumferential surface of said glue applying roller continuously engages that of said pick-up roller, gear means for rotating said glue applying roller in the same direction as said glue pick-up roller so that each roller continuously engages and wipes the other in the area of engagement therebetween, said glue on said pick-up roller being thereby transferred to said glue applying roller so as to be available for gluing said filler backs, and means for pivoting said carriage downwardly and upwardly in timed relationship with the movement of fillers therebeneath.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said carriage includes two end plate assemblies each of which has an upper and a lower member adjustably connected to one another so that the axis of rotation of said glue applying roller can be adjusted relative to that of said pick-up roller.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said upper member of each of said end plate assemblies defines a downwardly open notch, and a shaft defining said fixed axis of rotation of said pick-up roller, said notched upper members being removably received on said shaft so that said carriage is pivotally supported as aforesaid, and means for moving said carriage to lower the glue applying roller into a filler engaging position after the leading edge of the filler to be glued has passed therebeneath and to raise said roller above said position before the trailing end of the glued filler reaches said roller.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said carriage includes two end plate assemblies, each of said end plate assemblies having a downwardly open notch, and a shaft defining said fixed axis of rotation of said pick-up roller, said shaft having spaced portions for receiving said notched end plate assemblies whereby said carriage is pivotally supported as aforesaid, and wherein said means for pivoting said carriage operates to lower the glue applying roller .into a filler engaging position after the leading edge of the filler to be glued has passed therebeneath and to raise said roller above said position before the trailing end of the glued filler reaches said roller.

5. In a casing-in machine having a mechanism for feeding fillers with their backs facing upwardly toward a casing-in station whereat cases are mated with the fillers, the improvement comprising means defining a glue reservoir above the longitudinal path of movement of said fillers, two arms attached to said reservoir defining means, a first shaft having its end portions journalled in said arms, a glue pick-up roller carried by said first shaft and having a portion of its circumferential surface adapted to move through the glue in said reservoir defining means, means for rotating said first shaft, a carriage pivotally supported on said first shaft for limited vertical movement above said filler path, two end plate assemblies in said carriage each of which defines a downwardly open notch for receiving said first shaft, a second shaft having its end portions journalled in said end plate assemblies, a glue applying roller carried by said second shaft so that its circumferential surface continuously engages that of said pick-up roller, and means for pivoting said carriage on said first shaft in timed relationship with the movement of fillers therebeneath.

6. A casing-in machine as set forth in claim 5 and further characterized by means for rotating said second shaft, which means is geared to said means for rotating said first shaft whereby both shafts are rotated in the same direction so that each roller continuously wipes the other in the area of engagement therebetween.

7. A casing-in machine as set forth in claim 6 wherein each of said end plate assemblies includes an upper memher which defines said notch and a lower member which rotatably supports one end portion of said second shaft, said upper and lower members being adjustably connected to one another to allow the axis of said glue applying roller to be adjusted relative to that of said pick-up roller.

8. A casing-in machine as set forth in claim 7 wherein said means for pivoting said carriage includes a reciprocable push rod, an arm connected to the upper end of said rod, a transverse rock shaft attached to said arm, at least one slotted arm carried by said rock shaft, and a pin on said carriage lower member for receiving said slotted arm.

9. A casing-in machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein said means for pivoting said carriage operates to lower the glue applying roller into a filler engaging position after the leading edge of the filler to be glued has passed therebeneath and to raise said roller above said position before the trailing end of the glued filler reaches said roller.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,324,486 7/ 1943 Clausen 118241 X 2,549,890 4/1951 Burls 11-3 2,683,435 7/1954 Kindseth et al. 1181 2,827,010 3/1958 Schaefer 118241 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

L. G. MACHLIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CASING-IN MACHINE OR THE LIKE HAVING MECHANISM FOR FEEDING FILLERS WITH THEIR BACKS FACING UPWARDLY TOWARD A CASING-IN STATION WHEREAT CASES ARE MATED WITH THE FILLERS, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING MEANS DEFINING A GLUE RESERVOIR ABOVE THE LONGITUDINAL PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID FILLERS AND FIXED IN THE FRAME OF THE MACHINE, A GLUE PICK-UP ROLLER SUPPORTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT A FIXED HORIZONTAL AXIS ADJACENT ONE END WALL OF SAID GLUE RESERVOIR SO THAT A PORTION OF THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL SURFACE OF SAID ROLLER MOVES THROUGH THE GLUE IN SAID RESERVOIR AND THENCE OUTWARDLY THROUGH AN OPENING DEFINED IN SAID END WALL, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID PICK-UP ROLLER SO THAT SAID PICK-UP ROLLER IS CONTINUOUSLY ROTATED, A CARRIAGE PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED FOR LIMITED VERTICAL MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS COINCIDENT WITH SAID FIXED AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID PICK-UP ROLLER, A GLUE APPLYING ROLLER SUPPORTED ABOUT AN AXIS IN SAID CARRIAGE SO THAT THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL SURFACE OF SAID GLUE APPLYING ROLLER CONTINUOUSLY ENGAGES THAT OF SAID PICK-UP ROLLER, GEAR MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID GLUE APPLYING ROLLER IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS SAID GLUE PICK-UP ROLLER SO THAT EACH ROLLER CONTINUOUSLY ENGAGES AND WIPES THE OTHER IN THE AREA OF ENGAGEMENT THEREBETWEEN, SAID GLUE ON SAID PICK-UP ROLLER BEING THEREBY TRANSFERRED TO SAID GLUE APPLYING ROLLER SO AS TO BE AVAILABLE FOR GLUING SAID FILLER BACKS, AND MEANS FOR PIVOTING SAID CARRIAGE DOWNWARDLY AND UPWARDLY IN TIMED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MOVEMENT OF FILLERS THEREBENEATH. 